Review by Booklist Review
Beth has always wanted to soar above the clouds, but her dreams of becoming a pilot were dashed when her mother was fighting to survive cancer. She used her savings and a hefty loan from her half-brother Shawn to pay medical bills and buy the fixer-upper house her mother yearned for. Shawn gives her a private plane ride piloted by George, his seemingly hostile best friend, as an early birthday present. When the engine shockingly stops mid-flight, George expertly lands the plane on a highway and the near-death experience incites passion. Beth is frantic to figure out how to come up with the money to pay her debt to Shawn, who expects her to come into a large trust fund, as he had. Risks abound as George champions Beth's piloting dreams, but her found family at the diner and the kindness of several mothers along with the disparity between wealth of the siblings and the bad dads take this romance up a notch, adding depth and feeling to this enjoyable high-flying romance.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this entertaining contemporary, Connolly (PS: I Hate You) brings together two appealing young people trying to make it on their own. Beth Lundberg, the neglected illegitimate daughter of a luxury transportation magnate, has always yearned to become a pilot, but can't afford it on her diner waitress salary, especially while handling medical bills for her mother, who has cancer. When Beth's privileged half-brother Shawn's best friend, George Bunsen, a pilot at their father's company, offers her free flying lessons, Beth is almost too proud to accept, especially as she and George have never gotten along. But when their first time in the air results in an emergency landing that showcases George's skill, Beth's aversion to him turns into red hot lust. Meanwhile, it's clear to everyone but Beth that George feels the same way about her. For their relationship to succeed, however, Beth will have to let go of her preconceptions about George, face her father's judgment, and come clean to Shawn about a lie she told him years ago. Readers who dislike plots that over-rely on miscommunication may be frustrated by some of these hurdles, but Beth's tenacity is admirable and George's patient devotion is swoon-worthy. Fans of Kristan Higgins and Susan Wiggs looking for something on the raunchier side will want to check this out. (Dec.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Beth Lundberg waitresses full-time at a diner and loves the group of dear friends she has found there, but her dream is to learn to fly an airplane and become a pilot, though she can't afford flight lessons. Beth and her mother have never received any support from her distant, wealthy father who made it clear she was a mistake from an illicit affair. With no other way to achieve her dream, Beth agrees when her half-brother's routinely grumpy friend George Bunsen offers her free flight lessons after an emergency landing. Beth begins to notice some glimpses of humanity, a departure from George's taciturn personality, with extra flight time, and especially after they're forced to stay in a motel with only one bed when bad weather grounds them overnight. Their mutual attraction becomes a distraction, and boundaries begin to blur, even as they both struggle to keep secrets that may jeopardize their closest relationships. VERDICT Connolly (PS: I Hate You) doesn't shy away from the real-life concerns that affect her characters, including physical and mental illness and estranged family. This slow-burn romance delivers, and the chemistry between two supporting characters will have readers wanting a sequel.--Nicole Suarez
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Beth Lundberg can't pass up the opportunity for free flight lessons, even if the instructor is her half brother's grumpy best friend. Although she's dreamed of getting her pilot's license for years, Beth has been too busy waitressing in a diner outside Arlington so she can pay for her mom's medical bills and the mortgage on their fixer-upper house. When her beloved, wealthy brother arranges for his friend George Bunsen to give Beth a flight in his plane, she's thrilled to be up in the air, until engine failure leads to George having to execute an emergency landing. Beth is terrified by the situation but turned on by his composure. She's shocked to find that she's crushing on a man who actively tries to ignore her most of the time, and when he offers to teach her to fly--for free--she can't say no. She tries to balance her time between flying and work, but she also worries about the ticking countdown to when she'll have to admit a secret she's been keeping from her brother. Also, her libido is out of control around her stoic instructor, and the closer she gets to him, the more enamored she becomes. Go-getter, people-pleasing Beth is relatable as she tries so hard to keep everything under control and provide for her loved ones while also yearning to pursue her dreams. Her desire for hot pilot George is entertaining, but the driving conflicts in this story don't feel plausible, and it's frustrating that the tension relies on secrets that could easily be hashed out through open conversation. Connolly thoughtfully handles elements of class and gender, and the sibling relationship is adorable; however, there's not enough push-pull in the central romantic relationship to make it feel fully formed. The female main character is compelling, but the story lacks momentum. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
